Sense of Responsibility
by KatieSchuester
Summary: When Emma's brother dies, Emma gains custody of her British niece Evie. What will happen as she tries to raise her in a foreign environment as she brings Emma and Will closer.    set season 3


**Sense of Responsibility. **

**Summary: When Emma's brother dies, Emma gains custody of her British niece Evie. What will happen as she tries to raise her in a foreign environment as she brings Emma and Will closer. **

**(set season 3)**

**A/N: Just an idea that popped into my head a few days ago. This fic will explore Emma's relationship with her family and also between her and Will. The ideas of this fic are nagging me so I will be certainly updating this quickly! I hope you enjoy this fic from me and review! I'm sorry I haven't been writing much lately, the hiatus is really depressing especially the 'cliffhanger' we are left on. Yes that was sarcasm. :L this chapter basically introduces the story, so I hope you enjoy it. ****J**

**-Katie. (btw I changed my fan fiction name from Katie-Schuester to turningtables!)**

Emma Pillsbury sighed as she looked at the clock that was above the television. It was 5pm, and it was nearing to the last week of summer. She was quite looking forward to get back to work, as she missed the students that came to her giving guidance, the glee club, the assemblies, funnily enough, Sue was also on the list. The top thing was Will. Although they had spent all summer together they were not officially dating. They had been taking things slow trying not to push boundaries with one another, and getting to know each other properly rather than rushing into things just like last time. She looked down as she thought about how she had taken a trip to the beach with Will the other day which of course had ended in a sunburnt neck and shoulders due to her fair skin. Will had tried to save her by rubbing after sun into the burns which had made her feel cool and relaxed. It made her want him.

She hadn't called Will today. He had too much to be doing as he needed to prepare for his new classes. Being the guidance counsellor seemed to be quite an easy job, as the other members of the facility were usually busy before school. Not her, she just had to wait until someone popped into her office. Her regulars were Rachel Berry, Suzy Pepper, and Jess Taylor, a girl that would eat her own hair. All her pamphlets had come in the mail (she had ordered them off a website) and were all ready to be stacked in their appropriate places in her office.

As Emma lay on the couch, not knowing quite what to do, the phone suddenly began to rang. Maybe it's Will, Emma thought as she grabbed the phone a little too quickly.

"Hello?" said a voice that she didn't recognise. He didn't sound from around these parts, not even from the United States at all.

"Hello." Emma replied nervously, wondering what the mystery person was about to tell her.

"This is PC James Smith and I'm in charge of your brother's case. I'm afraid I have some bad news to tell you. I'm extremely sorry to inform you, but your brother Adam Pillsbury has been involved in a serious car accident and I'm afraid that he didn't quite make it through. I'm sorry, Ms Pillsbury." the man suddenly said at once. Emma couldn't quite take in all the information. Was this some kind of dream? A man, a police officer, had just called her to tell her that her brother was dead. The news could not quite process through her brain. She had been to visit Adam at the beginning of Summer, he was fine then, how could he be dead now? A tear slowly spilled from Emma's check.

"Dead?" she could only squeak to the man in reply.

"I'm extremely sorry for your loss and for the shock." The officer replied.

"How is Jane?" Jane was Adam's wife. A English girl that Adam had met while on a trip to London. They'd fallen in love and married. Adam moved to England away so that Jane could be close to her family.

"She was also in the collision." the officer said but she fully knew what he meant. Jane was dead too. She was so sweet, and nice, and the perfect woman. Tears began to fall more and more from her eyes.

"What about Evie?" Evie was their daughter. She was fourteen years old and had red auburn hair that curled on the ends that hung over her shoulder graciously. Her smiley brown eyes were wide just like her Aunt's. People always told her that she looked like Emma.

"Well, that is the reason I have called. We need somebody to take custody of her. There is no one to look after her as she is not yet the age of an adult, and you seem to be Mr Pillsbury's closet relative. Evie is currently with the social worker but we really need someone to give her a home and so on. We are aware of the situation that you currently live in the United States Miss Pillsbury, but perhaps Evie could move in with you?"

"Yes of course." Emma's heart ached for Evie. She just couldn't imagine it, the thought of her parents just dying and have no where else to go. She needed her now, the Pillsbury's needed to stick together. Emma let out a quiet sob as the man began to speak again.

"We would appreciate it if you could fly out to here as soon as possible, as your parents were informed just before you. The funeral is being organised by Jane and Adam's parents and will be taking place over here in a few days."

"Okay." she could only whisper under her breath as the man began to go through over things.

"Also, his will reading will be organised shortly."

"I will try to get over as soon as possible."

"Good evening Ms Pillsbury, I'm sorry I've had to give such a shock."

"No, it's not your fault." Emma replied emotionless as the man said goodbye and hung up.

As the man cut her off, Emma dropped the phone and began to cry. Her brother and his wife were dead. She had to raise his child. Slowly, she pulled the closest pillow to her face and cried into it, the tears soaking the pillowcase, but she didn't care. Who would make her feel better, like everything was going to be okay? Who was she kidding - NOTHING was going to be fine. Everything was a mess. How could she even bring herself to book a flight? Evie was probably crying her eyes out right now. Alone. Were her parents in London yet, and why had a cop had to tell her what had happened? Couldn't someone more friendly released the news a little more gently. She lay on the couch, lifeless. Flashbacks of Adam, Jane and Evie began to replay constantly in her mind. Had this death been an accident? On purpose? Murder? The burning questions began to play through her mind as she began to sob into the pillow.

"_Emma! Come and look at this!" Adam yelled over to his little sister, who was with their mom tasting yoghurt. They were at the dairy farm, somewhere that Emma had always wanted to visit. Adam had the ultimate prank that he would liked to play on his younger sibling, as a mischievous smile spread across his face._

"_Look at what?" Emma asked as she skipped over happily. This place was awesome, she thought as she saw a cow on the other side of her mooing blissfully. The day seemed perfect for once, after all this was the Pillsbury family. _

"_Just come!" he replied again, Emma groaning under her breath. She wanted to eat more yoghurt. What was Adam going to even show her anyway? _

"_Ew, what is that smell?" Emma placed her fingers over her nose. "It stinks!" _

_Adam saw his small sister grinning at him. _

"_Would you like to play a game?" he asked as she saw her move closer to the end of the lagoon edge. _

"_Sure!"_

_Suddenly Adam pushed her into the lagoon. Emma screamed as she fell into the dirty sludge beneath her. She could barely feel her lungs as she desperately wanted to gasp for air._

"_Someone help me! PLEASE! Help!" she cried out as the people who were on the tour turned around. Emma couldn't move, the dirt was burning into her skin. _

"_Emma!" her mother suddenly tuned and ran over to the edge. "Someone, help her get out!" Emma tried to breathe but she couldn't. She started to loose feeling in her head and her body._

"_Someone help!" she screamed as loud as she could but suddenly everything went black._

Emma woke up, breathe heavily. A nightmare. Adam had been the one who's fault it was that she had OCD. I need a glass of water, she stood up to go to the kitchen. The clock read 7:30. She had drifted off to sleep for two and a half hours, though she wished she could of stayed awake. The last thing she needed was more nightmares to make her feel timid and even worse than she already felt.

She poured the water and took a sip of it. Suddenly, her cell phone began to vibrate on the table. _Don't answer it_, voices began to say in her head. Slowly, she leant over to see who the caller ID was. Will. Her heart suddenly began to feel warm for the first time in hours. Answering the call, she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Will." she whispered softly.

"Hey Em, what's up?" he said cheerfully.

"Nothing's good Will." she suddenly began to sob again, as the shock came into her head.

"What's happened?" he replied, as I wiped a tear from my eye.

"Can you come over?" she whispered in reply.

"Of course I can, I'll be there in five minutes."

"Thank you Will. Really."

"Bye." they both said at the same time and they cut each other off.

Will was coming over. Her heart was racing as she tried to make herself look a bit more presentable. All of her makeup had run down her eyes due to the tears, and she was wearing a pair of faded sweatpants and a short tee-shirt. The doorbell went off and Will was already here. Emma tried to wipe her eye with her finger as she walked to the door to let Will in. She opened the door and saw him.

"Oh Em!" he walked over and gave her a big hug. She cried softly into his shoulder and he tried to shut the door behind him. He felt her sobbing onto his chest and he ran his hands through her hair trying to take them into the sitting room to sit them both on the couch. She wasn't ready to talk yet, he could see that. Whatever had happened, it was something serious. He began to whisper words of comfort in her ear and places kisses on her forehead.

"Will, it's awful." her voice was shaky and depressed.

"You can tell me whenever you're ready." he kissed her temple again and looked into her eyes.

"It's my brother and his wife. They've d-died in a car accident." she said with a wobbly tone.

"Oh Em, I'm so sorry!" Will pulled her into an embrace. Tears began to fall from her eyes again and she rested her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back softly, trying to make her feel a bit better.

"That isn't all…" she began to stutter. "My niece Evie. They want me to look after her, stay here with me. I don't think I can cope. With her around all the time will be a memory of what has happened. I can't look after a kid Will!" Her tears began to fall furiously.

"Hey, hey Em, look at me." She looked up as he wiped one of her tears with his sleeve. She held his hand as he began to speak.

"You will be a great guardian Em, I promise. Everything will turn out to be okay. You teach kids, I'm sure you can look after one, and she's a great kid. And remember you've always got me."

"I know I've got you, I'm just scared Will."

"It's natural to be scared, but we'll make baby steps and I'll be with you 100% of the way."

Emma smiled weakly. "Thank you Will."

"No problem."

Suddenly, a thought came into Emma's mind.

"Will?"

"Yes sweetie?" he replied wiping Emma's eyes clean of the wet salty tears.

"Will you come to London with me? I can't go by myself, I can't face it alone, I just can't." she buried her face in her hands while Will leaned over.

"Of course, Em. I'll book a flight, you don't need to worry about anything. I'll be here with you."

"Can you stay with me, Will? I can't be alone."

"I'm not going anywhere." he smiled as Emma rested her head near his neck.

"Thank you."

XXX

They had spent a majority of the time watching a movie and had a few glasses of wine. Will being around at this painful time made her feel so much better. Will loved staying at Emma's house too. He had only visited a few times, but he loved how it totally screamed her personality. Nothing seemed to be out of place, in this house you probably could eat off the floor.

Will had nipped back to his place to get some pyjamas he could get changed in too.

"So, Em, should I sleep here?" he said pointing to the couch.

"No, no stay with me!" she cried.

"I'm not going anywhere." he said quietly as he watched her lead them to the bedroom. She seemed a bit lifeless, but he hoped he could soon change that. He had booked the flights online and they would be headed out tomorrow evening. They really needed their sleep, especially with the time differences.

Emma pulled the sheet from the bed and got in. Will stood there a moment. He was getting in bed with Emma Pillsbury. Just sleeping though. Emma was too weak and sad, and he wanted to make sure he followed her every step of the way.

"Get in." she said as she tried to get comfortable herself. Emma's room was a shade of pale cream and her sheets were a caramel brown. She looked warm and Will got in to join her. They lay next to each other, Emma turning to face him.

"Thank you." she said whispering.

"You need to sleep Em, we have a big day tomorrow." he placed a kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight beautiful."

"Goodnight." she replied and drifted off into a gentle slumber in front of his eyes. He wrapped his arm around her and held her in case she would have any nightmares in the night.

He stroked her hair a few times. She's so beautiful when she sleeps, he thought as he eventually fell asleep himself. They had a big day tomorrow.


End file.
